Def Jux ArchivesAmbrosia For Heads

Atmosphere Has Released What May Be MF DOOM’s Final Verse

Life is too short to listen to bad music. So…let Ambrosia For Heads sift through it for you and only supply you with that great stuff. Despite the reports, Hip-Hop is alive and well and, in many ways, it's better than it's ever been. Not only can we go back and listen... Read more

October 10, 2021 Audio

Talib Kweli & El-P Recall Rawkus Records Taking A Chance On Underground Hip-Hop

Run The Jewels and Company Flow co-founder El-P is the latest guest on Talib Kweli's The People's Party Podcast, with co-host Jasmin Leigh. The two natives of Brooklyn, New York have plenty of history together, including Hip Hop For Respect. They were label-mates at Rawkus Records during an inflection point... Read more

November 12, 2019 Video

Murs Details Making The Iliad Is Dead And The Odyssey Is Over With 9th Wonder (Video)

Over the past 15 years, Murs and 9th Wonder have made some of the best collaboration albums between an MC and a producer. These works have become standouts in their respected catalogs. In the mix of both men's careers and personal lives, they carved out time to make The Iliad... Read more

August 10, 2019 Exclusive, Interview, Video

Do Remember When RJD2 Showed A New & Different Side Of Def Jux (Video)

By the top of the 2000s, Rawkus was beginning to permeate the mainstream. Meanwhile, one of that label's former flagship artists had left to create an imprint with the same sort of early DIY aesthetic and unpredictability. New York-based indie label Definitive Jux released a crate full of classic records... Read more

June 20, 2019 Do Remember

Murs’ Next LP With 9th Wonder & The Soul Council Has A New Video & Release Date

Less than a month ago, Murs & 9th Wonder premiered two singles from the upcoming The Iliad Is Dead And The Odyssey Is Over at Ambrosia For Heads. "Ga$ Station Gucci Belt" (which Heads got a small taste of in late March) and "Night Shift" showed two different sides from... Read more

June 19, 2019 Video

Murs Shares The 1st Release From His New Collaboration With 9th Wonder

At the top of this year, it was announced that Murs & 9th Wonder were preparing to release the seventh album in their union. 2019's upcoming The Illiad Is Dead And The Odyssey Is Over marks the pair's first effort since 2015's Brighter Daze. This past weekend, the Los Angeles,... Read more

March 25, 2019 Video

Murs & 9th Wonder Have Recorded Their 7th Collabo Album. It’s Coming Soon

This March makes it 15 years since Murs and 9th Wonder partnered for Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition. Released on El-P's Definitive Jux label, the album united the Los Angeles, California lyricist from the Living Legends crew with the North Carolina producer/DJ known for Little Brother's exceptional introduction. For both... Read more

January 24, 2019 News

Aesop Rock Has An Album Coming Next Month. His New Video Is Twisted.

Lyrical wunderkind Aesop Rock was a standout sensation during the Underground Hip-Hop boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s. His poetic imagery and didactic bars were complex conundrums that many listeners enjoyed unraveling. The MC/producer worked with the likes of MF DOOM, El-P, and the Weathermen during a celebrated... Read more

December 18, 2018 Video

Finding The GOAT Group: Run The Jewels vs. Boogie Down Productions. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’ annual competition series features Hip-Hop’s greatest collectives vying for the #1 spot. Sixty-two groups have been pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot will be reserved for a wild-card entry (which has been determined), including the possibility... Read more

July 4, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

Finding The GOAT Group: Slaughterhouse vs. Run The Jewels. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’s annual battle series features Hip-Hop’s greatest collectives vying for the #1 spot. Sixty-two groups have been pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot will be reserved for a wild-card entry, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to... Read more

April 23, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

El-P Has Killer Mike’s Back Even Though They Disagree On Gun Control

Over the last decade, one of Hip-Hop's more unlikely and yet, most enduring super-groups is Run The Jewels. The union began when El-P produced Killer Mike's 2012 album, R.A.P. Music. The release marked a new sound for the Adamsville, Georgia MC, and a different kind of collaborator for the Brooklyn,... Read more

March 26, 2018 Lifestyle, News, Video

Run The Jewels Show Off As They Body Slam A Statik Selektah Beat (Audio)

Run The Jewels is an undeniable force in Hip-Hop. The tag-team duo of Brooklyn producer/MC El-P and the honorable ATLien Killer Mike seem to surge with hype whenever they connect on track. The pair often provides thoughtful, hilarious and electrifying bars for the world to hear, over manic, forward-thinking production by... Read more

November 2, 2017 Audio

Mr. Lif & Akrobatik Let The Rhythm Hit ‘Em With Heavy Rhymes & Hard Drums (Video)

In late July, Boston MCs Mr. Lif and Akrobatik revived The Perceptionists. The former Def Jux group (which then featured DJ Fakts One) made a strong return on Resolution (which premiered at Ambrosia For Heads), releasing through the Mello Music Group—a label that may be reminiscent of El-P's 2000s imprint.... Read more

September 8, 2017 Video

The Perceptionists Survived Near Death Experiences To Make A 2nd Album. Listen Early.

Boston, Massachusetts Hip-Hop group The Perceptionists haven’t released an album in over a decade. A lot has changed for MCs Mr. Lif and Akrobatik since they dropped their 2005 debut Black Dialogue (which featured fellow Massachusetts legend Guru, Phonte of Little brother and label mate Camu Tao) on El-P's defunct... Read more

July 27, 2017 Audio, Exclusive

Mr. Lif & Akrobatik Are Reuniting As The Perceptionists. A Short Film Shows Their Journey (Video)

El-P's Definitive Jux Records introduced a number of talented MCs and producers. While Mr. Lif had been on wax dating back to the mid-1990s, the Boston, Massachusetts-based MC released Def Jux's first expanded project, care of 2000's Enters The Colossus EP. Lif would remain a Jukie for much of the... Read more

May 30, 2017 Video

Aesop Rock Mourns A Fallen MC & Spits Personal Bars Of Pain (Video)

Nine years ago today (May 25, 2008), MC/producer Camu Tao (aka Tero Smith) died after a battle with lung cancer. At a time when his solo career was gaining strong traction, the Columbus, Ohio native was a linchpin to The Weathermen, MHz, S.A. Smash, Nighthawks groups and El-P's Definitive Jux... Read more

May 25, 2017 Video

Big Boi, Run The Jewels & Danger Mouse Dare Competition To Keep Up (Audio)

Since 2013's "Banana Clipper," Run The Jewels' Killer Mike has cemented the fact that even with his latest brand of music, mentor Big Boi fits into the fold nicely. On single, "Kill Jill," Daddy Fat Sax welcomes Mike Bigga to his lates party-starter. The Dungeon Family vibe is alive and well,... Read more

May 18, 2017 Audio

El-P Explains How Def Jux Turned Into A Bubble That Didn’t Represent Him (Video)

In an exhaustive interview with Hot97's Ebro and Peter Rosenberg, Run The Jewels shared a ton of details about their career as a unit, while El-P and Killer Mike each also spent time sharing their unique, individual experiences as veterans in Hip Hop. For more than an hour, the interview... Read more

February 28, 2017 Video

Mayhem & Akrobatik Combat The World We Live In With Introspective Rhymes (Video)

The Roxbury section of Boston is known for rhymes that are both heavy and hard. Gang Starr's Guru as well as Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs helped put the 'Bury on the Rap map (after already garnering heavy recognition thanks to New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe), with songs that... Read more

January 4, 2017 Ready Or Not

Zack De La Rocha Is Back & Still Raging On An El-P Produced Outcry (Audio)

More than 18 years ago, the first Lyricists Lounge compilation released. Featuring De La Soul, Common, Mos Def (n/k/a Yasiin Bey), and Q-Tip, the Rawkus Records double album delivered the Underground Hip-Hop community to the mainstream (reaching the Top 200), with a plethora of important independent voices, and more than... Read more

September 8, 2016 Audio

15 Years Ago MF DOOM & Aesop Rock Shined Light Upon The “Black List” (Audio)

Earlier this year, Aesop Rock released The Impossible Kid. Down with the Rhymesayers crew, the LP marked the New Yorker's fourth consecutive solo work to appear on the Top 200. In this particular case, the album was the Hail Mary Mallon front-man's second straight Top 30 entry. This is a... Read more

June 30, 2016 Do Remember

Madvillain’s Madvillainy vs. Cannibal Ox’s The Cold Vein. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

January 6, 2016 Finding the GOAT

Stream Murs & 9th Wonder’s Brighter Daze Album (Audio)

Just hours ago, it was announced that Murs & 9th Wonder's sixth album would release today (December 31). Heads can now dive right into Brighter Daze, the first in the duo's catalog, since 2012. Rapsody, Problem, Mac Miller, Bad Lucc are the guests among the Jamla Records LP's 12 tracks.... Read more

December 31, 2015 Audio

Murs & 9th Wonder Announce 6th Collaborative Album…Coming Today

In late 2012, Murs & 9th Wonder released The Final Adventure. The Jamla Records album was the fifth, and said to be final release from the pair—a Los Angeles, California MC and a North Carolina producer. The tandem's work stemmed back to early 2004, with the acclaimed Definitive Jux release,... Read more

December 31, 2015 News

Cannibal Ox Make A Rare Visual…In Front Of Big L’s Harlem Mural (Video)

Part of Cannibal Ox's mystique surrounding The Cold Vein came in the fact that its presentation relied almost entirely on the music. Vast Aire, Vordul Mega, and then-producer El-P were not about the video components (just one, really), photo shoots, and over-the-top interviews. The Def Jux hallmark spoke for itself, and... Read more

July 8, 2015 Video

Cannibal Ox Share Their Long-Awaited Second LP. Is The Blade Still Sharp? (Album Stream)

Nearly one week prior to its release, Cannibal Ox's Blade Of The Ronin (March 3) is available for authorized full audio album stream. The sophomore LP from Vast Aire and Vordul Mega comes nearly 14 years after The Cold Vein, without Def Jux as the backer, or El-P on the... Read more

February 26, 2015 Audio

Do Remember: Cannibal Ox’s Painkillers (Video)

This month, after 14 years, a reunited Cannibal Ox announced a sophomore album, Blade Of The Ronin. The announcement after years of refuting the prospects of a follow-up to 2001's The Cold Vein debut. As time evolved, Vast Aire and Vordul Mega pursued solo careers, still making songs on each... Read more

February 5, 2015 Throwback

MF DOOM Helps Cannibal Ox Make Proper Re-Entry (Audio)

Eleven years ago, MF DOOM linked with Cannibal Ox's Vast Aire for his breakthrough solo, Look Mom...No Hands, through "Da Supafriendz." In 2015, the Masked Villain reunites with the emphatic lyricist on Can Ox's sophomore LP, Blade Of The Ronin. This early glimpse from the March LP seems to capture... Read more

February 2, 2015 Audio

Cannibal Ox Returns With Sophomore LP, MF DOOM & The Artifacts Are Involved

Nearly 15 years removed from The Cold Vein, New York City underground Hip-Hop heroes Cannibal Ox have announced their return. Vast Aire and Vordul Mega announced today (January 20), that Blade Of The Ronin will commemorate their return, March 3, 2015. The release will come from the artists' own IGC... Read more

January 20, 2015 Fresh

Murs Is Feelin’ Himself On A Groovy Track From Company Flow’s Mr. Len (Audio)

Murs and Mr. Len have long run in adjacent circles. When Murs started to make his ascent to being one of the premier MCs in Hip-Hop, it was through his Def Jux work (End Of The Beginning, Murs 3:16). Definitive Jux was launched by El-P, the former musical partner of... Read more

January 17, 2015 Audio

Aesop Rock Unleashes Two Sinister New Songs Filled With Cynicism & Wordplay (Audio)

Aesop Rock's solo interests have been largely quieted since 2012's Skelethon album (which marked a charting pinnacle for the veteran). Focused on his Hail Mary Mallon crew, and other artistic interests, the Def Jukie-turned-Rhymesayer spent most of 2013 and 2014 in such a mind-frame. 2015 returns to form, directionally as... Read more

January 5, 2015 Audio, Fresh

Finding The GOAT: Murs vs. Ras Kass…Who You Got?

As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not... Read more

December 9, 2014 Fresh

Killer Mike & El-P Are Bringing Out The Dead, Making Them Run The Jewels (Video)

Killer Mike and El-P seem to have so much fun together as Run The Jewels. From the sheer on-album chemistry to the side-projects, the monstrous stage presence on tour, down into the visuals. First single, "Blockbuster Night, Pt. 1" finds Bigga and El-Producto working as EMT, without much tact for... Read more

November 20, 2014 Fresh, Video

Run The Jewels Crashes The Party On Until The Ribbon Breaks’ New One (Video)

'Cause Heads can't get enough... Beginning with 2013's self-titled album, Until The Ribbon Breaks worked with Run The Jewels ("Job Well Done"). Now, just following the last 10 days' bum-rush of RTJ2, Killer Mike and El-P return the favor, and collide with the British Electronic band for their single, "Revolution... Read more

November 3, 2014 Video

For A Band As Colorful As Run The Jewels, Of Course There Would Be A Great Art Challenge…

Last week, Run The Jewels released their second album in as many years, both of which were available for free stream. In the case of RTJ2, the Mass Appeal Records retail release was also given away for free, open to the public, whether they opt to financially support or not. What... Read more

October 27, 2014 Fresh

Run The Jewels Makes Blockbuster Night A Double Feature (Audio)

On Friday (October 24) Killer Mike & El-P slammed down RTJ2 for full stream and free download. Available for purchase too, the Mass Appeal Records effort (what up, Nas!) garnered rapid acclaim from Heads who enjoyed Mike's fervor, El's sarcasm, Bigga's charisma, and Producto's futuristic beats. So why not have... Read more

October 27, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Run The Jewels Rage Against the Machine with Zack De La Rocha (Audio)

Rap's Robin Hoods deliver another jarring glimpse from their upcoming sophomore group effort, RTJ2. Run The Jewels (Killer Mike & El-P) have seemingly found the pocket of some of their most passionate, pungent, and disarming music to date. Joined by Zack De La Rocha (who kicks an extremely rare MC... Read more

October 13, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Zion I, Sadat X, Opio, Mr. Lif, Kev Choice & Deuce Eclipse Get It In (Video)

Zion I pulls out all of the stops for "Get Urs." The Oakland-formed duo of MC Zumbi and Amplive link with Sadat X (Brand Nubian), Mr. Lif (The Perceptionists), Opio (Souls Of Mischief), Deuce Eclipse, and Kev Choice for this stellar (and hella colorful) concept video. It's straight bars, and... Read more

October 5, 2014 Fresh, Video

Murs & ¡Mayday! Get Into That Zone For The Skaters (Video)

For more than 20 years, skateboard culture and Hip-Hop have been closely related, yet always understated. Heads know that since Murs' 2003 joint, "Transitions az a Ridah," that the Los Angelino has brought his board with him for the Rap journey. On Mursday's "Zones," that's also the focus. For the... Read more

September 30, 2014 Fresh, Video

Run The Jewels’ RTJ2’s Tracklist Features An Ode To Akinyele & Zack de la Rocha

After dominating a wealth of 2013 Year-End Lists, Killer Mike & El-P's Run The Jewels battery is recharged with RTJD2, due on October 28. Today, the Fort Greene, Brooklyn-to-Adamsville, Atlanta connect unveiled their tracklisting. Late '90s Rock Heads may appreciate that guests include Zack de la Rocha (Rage Against The... Read more

September 2, 2014 Fresh

Killer Mike & El-P Made The Perfect Visual Companion To Run The Jewels’ Title Track (Video)

When Heads pressed play on Killer Mike & El-P's Run The Jewels album (by the newly-formed group of the same name) last year, things got a lil' heavy. Hard raps, hazy beats, big bass, and an energy that lived up to the title of an album demanding somebody to hand... Read more

March 4, 2014 Fresh, Video

RJD2 Explains His Ethos Of Crate Digging & What He Looks For In Records (Video)

Fuse's Crate Diggers series continues with Philly-based RJD2. A founding member of the MHz with Copywriter, Camu Tao, and others, RJ became famous in the early 2000s for his solo works on Def Jux. Since those days, RJ's laced joints for Little Brother, Aceyalone, and Cage, among many others. His... Read more

October 28, 2013 Fresh, Video